Yearly Archives:: 2014

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Review: Twisted Fate by Norah Olsen

Posted by 8 Comments

I received this book for free from HarperTeen in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Twisted Fate by Norah OlsenTwisted Fate by Norah Olsen
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on January 20th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, YA
Source: HarperTeen
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
two-half-stars

When Alyson meets Graham Copeland, the new boy next door, she instantly feels like he’s a kindred spirit—shy and awkward like her, someone who has trouble making friends. It’s impossible to resist having a crush on him.

As usual, her sister, Sydney, sees things differently. In Sydney's mind, Graham's odd personality and secretive past scream psychopath, not sweetheart. Her gut is telling her to stay away from him, and to protect a love-struck Alyson from her own naïveté. But despite her instincts, Sydney is surprised to realize that a part of her is drawn to Graham, too.

And the more Sydney gets to know him, the more she realizes just how right—and wrong—she is about everything.

Perfect for fans of Michelle Hodkin, and E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars, Twisted Fate is an unputdownable novel, teeming with suspense.

This was one of those books that I was really looking forward to and it sounded like a book I would love. Unfortunately, it was not all that great for me. There were a lot of POV’s and I just had a hard time really getting into it. It wasn’t that it wasn’t interesting. I did want to know the story, I was just kind of bored with it. It took me a long time to read and I almost didn’t finish it, though I am glad that I finally did. The ending is actually really great. This is told from multiple POV’s, as I said before. Sometimes I really like that style, but this one was just a bit too all over for me. I found myself confused at who I was reading at some points. I didn’t care for the characters very much, and it was really slow, but I think a lot of people will really like it though.

Syd and Ally are sisters. Syd being the one who doesn’t really follow the rules, but is super smart. Ally is the “good girl”. She picks berries and bakes muffins, and has her head on straight. Then bring in Graham. He’s the boy next door who is the image of bad boy. they both feel drawn to him, but while Ally is falling for him, Syd is wary. She knows that something is off with him and she doesn’t really trust him. Syd and Ally are total opposites, and their relationship was… interesting.

Graham was totally creepy and messed up. He lives behind his camera and feels like his films of people are art. He is beautiful and mysteriously cool. At least to some of the characters in the book. I found him to be really weird and someone I would stay far away from. He becomes obsessed with filming Ally. He is a rich kid who has some major psychological issues, but hasn’t been taught how to deal with them, or the consequences of when he has done something wrong.

I really want to go more in depth with this review since it seems to have taken me so long to have read this book, but it’s the type of book that I can’t really say much about without giving anything away. I could talk a little about the love triangle, or the lack of parenting skills, but I can’t talk about the depth of the story, and that is really the major selling point of it. This was a seriously messed up book on more than one level. It was a great story in general. I just thought the execution was a bit lacking and it was hard to read. I don’t mind slow books, but this one was slow and just didn’t capture me until well past the fifty percent mark. One of the best parts was the end. Not because I finally finished it, but really, it was a pretty great ending. I only wish that the rest of the book had interested me as much as the last bit of the book.

two-half-stars

2.5 Hot Espressos

Fresh Batch (New Releases Dec. 28th – Jan. 3rd)

Fresh Batch (New Releases Dec. 28th – Jan. 3rd)

Posted by on 12/27/2014 • 9 Comments

Fresh Batch, posted weekly, keeps you up to date on the hottest releases of the upcoming week.

Flavor of the week:

Love and Other Theories Alexis Bass Publication date: December 31st 2014by HarperTeen

Goodreads

If you want more, you have to give less.

That’s the secret to dating in high school. By giving as little as they expect to get in return, seventeen-year-old Aubrey Housing and her three best friends have made it to the second semester of their senior year heartbreak-free. And it’s all thanks to a few simple rules: don’t commit, don’t be needy, and don’t give away your heart.

So when smoking-hot Nathan Diggs transfers to Lincoln High, it shouldn’t be a big deal. At least that’s what Aubrey tells…

Review: Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

Review: Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

Posted by on 12/25/2014 • 19 Comments

You know a book is really special when you’ve only just begun and you’re already overwhelming with emotions. Imagine, I’ve only read a few pages of this novel and my eyes were starting to water already. My little brother was even giving me a bewildered look as he saw me wipe my tears away with the back of my hand.

Le brother: What’s up with you? Me: This book… this book is… it’s just so sad…! Le brother: You’re crying over a book? Me: I’m not crying over a book. I’m crying over the characters in this book! Le brother: … you’re crying over a book. Me: Fuck you, you heartless bastard. You wouldn’t understand.

Pffft, brothers. Who needs them?

I’ve first read Jessi Kirby in Golden, a heart-warming and relatable story of…

Review: There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake

Review: There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake

Posted by on 12/25/2014 • 4 Comments

After reading the synopsis for this, I was super excited to read it. It sounded like a fantastic thriller that would keep me on the edge of my seat. The writing style bothered me at first, but when I realized there was a reason that it was written that way, it was easy to just go with it. There was plenty of action and an emotional element to it, though I didn’t quite feel the level of emotion I wanted from it. There was also a really weird part of the plot that had me scratching my head. Like, I wasn’t aware that there was a paranormal or magical element to this. Anyways, I feel like I’m babbling, but it all makes sense when you finish the book.

Shelby…

Twelve Nightmares Before Christmas: Guest Post by Courtney Alameda

Twelve Nightmares Before Christmas: Guest Post by Courtney Alameda

Posted by on 12/24/2014 • 6 Comments

On this Christmas eve, I’m happy to have the Twelve Nightmares Before Christmas tour stop by – I mean, y’all know me by now, right? >.< But don’t worry, it’s a lot more fun than scary 😉 On each day of this tour, Courtney is featuring a Christmas monster – keep reading to find out ours with a fun guest post below along with a giveaway! Here’s a bit of info on the book, too:

Twelve Nightmares Before Christmas: Yule Cat

Hi! I’m Courtney Alameda, author of the soon-to-be published YA horror novel, SHUTTER. I love Christmastime and all things scary, so I wanted to celebrate by sharing some of my favorite Christmas beasties with everyone this year—twelve of them, to be exact! Join me and a…

Review: Because You Exist by Tiffany Truitt

Review: Because You Exist by Tiffany Truitt

Posted by on 12/23/2014 • 5 Comments

So this book was good, but a bit odd. I don’t mean that in a bad way though. The whole way the time travel happens is just weird with no real explanation about when or why. I get that there is some other entity or something that causes it, but it was not explained well. There is also a kind of typical people that hate each other, and now have to work with each other thing going on. And *gasp* they begin to care for each other. Really though, it was pretty enjoyable and I liked it.

Logan is a popular kid. On the football team, good looking, and has a super nice and hot girlfriend who happens to be a cheerleader. He also happens to be a “Shifter”…

Review: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Review: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Posted by on 12/22/2014 • 17 Comments

This is the sort of story that kinda sneaks up on you. You’re not sure what kind of book it is at first – especially if you’re like me and don’t brush up on the blurb beforehand. It seems intense and gritty and even a tad confusing. You notice right away that the characters are definitely messed up with deep rooted issues they need to work on. Then there’s romance and profound conversations and soul searching and what seems to be a light at the end of this dark, dreary tunnel. Then, BAM!

BAAAAAM!

Well ok don’t get too agitated, it takes a while until reality crashes down – almost at the end, really, but it basically changes the whole meaning of the book. At least it did for me….

Fresh Batch (New Releases December 21st – 27th)

Fresh Batch (New Releases December 21st – 27th)

Posted by on 12/20/2014 • 6 Comments

Fresh Batch, posted weekly, keeps you up to date on the hottest releases of the upcoming week.

Flavor of the week:

This Shattered World Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner Series: Starbound #2 Publication date: December 23rd 2014by Disney-Hyperion

Goodreads Purchase

The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet’s rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn’s blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for…